Vapor releasing device

ABSTRACT

A vapor releasing device for reodorants, pesticides or other vaporous materials is defined by a flat upper portion having a downwardly protruding centrally located ridge on the underside thereof. The upper portion has opposing downwardly extending walls which contain inwardly protruding lips forming a slot or opening. A flexible solid containing the vaporous material is engaged in the slot-like opening.

United States Patent Miller, Jr. et al.

VAPOR RELEASING DEVICE Inventors: Alexander Miller, Jr., Modesto,

Calitl; Victor F. Anderson, Wenonah, N.J.; Raymond W. Holt, PleasantHills; Robert W. Fortenbach, Lafayette, both of Calif.

Assignee: Shell Oil Company, Houston, Tex.

Filed: Jan. 15, 1973 Appl. No.: 323,591

US. Cl 239/34, 220/41, 239/60, Int. Cl. A62] 9/04 Field of Search239/36, 53, 54,55, 56,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 374,509 12/1887 Thum 206/39 [45]Apr. 16, 1974 1.742.962 l/l930 McCrosky 239/55 3.575.345 4/l97l Buck. Jr239/34 3.S67,l l9 3/l97l Wilbert 239/36 X 3,565,339 2/1971 Curran 239/60Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King Assistant ExaminerAndres Kashnikow [57]ABSTRACT A vapor releasing device for reodorants, pesticides or othervaporous materials is defined by a flat upper portion having adownwardly protruding centrally located ridge on theunderside thereof.The upper portion has opposing downwardly extending walls which containinwardly protruding lips forming a slot or opening. A flexible solidcontaining the vaporous material is engaged in the slot-like opening.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 VAPOR RELEASING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to devices for slowly releasingvaporous materials into the surrounding environment. More particularly,this invention relates to devices comprising a holder having engagedtherein a flexible solid containing a vaporous material such as apesticide or reodorant.

A problem common to both homeowners and industry is the control of pestssuch as houseflies, mosquitoes and the like within a closed environment.A similar problem is in masking or removing offensive odors also withina closed space. Various methods have been used to control both problems.For example, aerosol sprays have been developed to dispense a fine mistwithin the closed environment; however, such a method of application isof limited duration and effectiveness and requires frequent repetition.

Devices have been used which provide for a slow but continuous releaseof a vaporous material into the atmosphere. One such device comprises aliquid impregnated on an absorbent material from which the liquid slowlyevaporates. More recent devices have included the use of solid materialscontaining a liquid having a relatively high vapor pressure. Among suchitems are thermoplastic resins containing within the resin matrix aliquid pesticide or reodorant which slowly diffuses through the plasticmatrix to the surface then into the surrounding atmosphere.

A particular problem has been the control of pests and/or odors inenvironments of limited space such as in garbage cans or other trashdisposal containers. In these situations odors and insects are not onlyoffensive but may also be harmful. Conventional methods of controllingpests and odors such as sprays and commercially available slow releaseproducts are not satisfactory. Aerosols are of limited duration. Slowrelease products are generally placed or hung in an out-of-theway place.Trash containers or other environments of limited space have virtuallyno areas not subject to being disturbed and are often subjected to roughhandling thereby rendering the use 'of current slow release productsdifficult.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A vapor releasing device has now beendeveloped which may be used in any environment but is particularlyadapted for use in areas of limited space. This device may be used todispense one or more types of vapors.

The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a simple embodiment of the vaporreleasing device utilizing a single flexible solid partially engaged inthe holder.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of a simple embodiment of the vaporreleasing device utilizing a single flexible solid engaged in theholder.

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of the vapor releasing device havingone form of attaching means.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the holder having interrupted inwardlyprotruding lips.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The vapor releasing device as illustrated comprises a holder 10 and aflexible solid 11 containing a vapor releasing material. Holder 10 ismade out of metal, plastic, cardboard or other appropriate material.Preferably holder 10 is made of a flexible plastic. Holder 10 consistsof a flat upper portion 12, which may be of any desired shape but forpurposes of illustration is shown as a rectangle, having opposingdownwardly extending walls 14 containing inwardly protruding lips 15.The inwardly protruding lips 15 run longitudinally along wall 14 and maybe continuous as illustrated in FIG. 1 or may be interrupted to form twoor more protrusions 15' as shown in FIG. 4. Along the underside of flatupper portion 12 extends a centrally located ridge 13. This ridge may bea single ridge as illustrated or a series of ridges and runs along thesame axis as inwardly protruding lips 15. The area enclosed by the upperportion 12, the downwardly extending walls 14 and inwardly protrudinglips 15 forms a slot in which flexible solid 11 can be engaged. Flexiblesolid 11 is the same shape as the slot defined and is the same size asthe slot or preferably slightly larger so that it will be firmly engagedin holder 10. Flexible solid 11 can be made of any material which willhold a vaporous chemical such as a reodorant or a pesticide. Materialssuch as cellulose, natural and synthetic rubber and synthetic polymersor resins can be used. Particularly preferred are thermoplastic resinssuch as the polyvinyl halides, e.g., plasticized polyvinyl chloride.Flexible solid 11 is engaged in holder 10 so that the upper portion ofsaid solid is in contact with ridge 13 and the lower outer portions ofsolid 11 are in contact with the upper portion of lips 15. The sides ofsolid 11 may also be in contact with the inner surface of walls 14. Inthis manner the solid 11 is held firmly in place. Holder 10 is sodesigned that solid 11 may have air circulation over both top and bottomsurfaces thereof.

Holder 10 contains on the upper flat portion 12, or on any otherattachable plane vertical, horizontal or diagonal that permits adequateattachment of the holder 10, means 17 for attaching said holder to asupporting surface. Such surface may be the underside of a conventionalgarbage can lid or any other location on a garbage container or asupporting frame for disposable garbage containers, that would providethe maximum generating function of the flexible solid 11 withoutinterference from the adjacent container walls or its contents wherebysuch interference would cause a premature separation of the holder 10with the removal of the garbage. One such means is a double backadhesive tape, having a thin foam cushion between the two adhesivesurfaces. One side of the tape is attached to holder 10 and the otherside to the supporting surface. Other means such as other adhesives intape, liquid or paste form or any known mechanical connection such asrubber bands, magnets, straps, slots or snap-on or screw-on retainingmeans may be used to attach holder 10 to a supporting surface.

Flexible solid 11 may be fabricated in one or more pieces. For example,solid 11 may be divided into two sections or pieces along line 18perpendicular to lip 15. One section could contain one vaporous chemicalsuch as an insecticide and the other section may contain a secondchemical such as a reodorant.

A further embodiment of the invention wherein two different flexiblesolids are employed is accomplished by making holder 10 out of anappropriate material capable of containing a vaporous chemical such as apesticide or reodorant. Hence holder becomes one vapor releasingflexible solid and flexible solid 11 the other.

The above described vapor releasing devices are described as beingadapted for use in closed spaces and in garbage or trash cans inparticular. It is obvious that the supporting surface to which they areattached could be in any desired environment such as rest rooms,hospital rooms, bathrooms, hospitals, hotels, motels, homes and offices.

It is obvious that various changes could be made in the construction andshape of the vapor releasing devices without departing from the scope ofthe invention. The above description and attached drawings areconsidered to be illustrative of the invention only and not limiting.

We claim as our invention:

1. A vapor releasing device comprising a flat upper portion having adownwardly protruding centrally located ridge running on the undersideof said upper portion; said device having opposing downwardly extendingwalls from said upper portion in the same axis as said ridge, said wallscontaining inwardly protruding lips running longitudinally along saidwalls thereby forming a slot, said slot holding a flexible solidcontaining a vapor releasing material which flexible solid is engagedtherein between said upper portion and the inwardly protruding lips.

2. A vapor releasing device according to claim 1 wherein said device hasa means for attaching said device to a supporting surface.

3. A vapor releasing device according to claim 1 wherein-the flexiblesolid is a thermoplastic resin.

4. A vapor releasing device according to claim 3 wherein the vaporreleasing material is a pesticide.

5. A vapor releasing device according to claim 3 wherein the vaporreleasing material is a reodorant.

6. A vapor releasing device according to claim 3 wherein thethermoplastic resin is in two pieces, the dividing line between saidpieces being in a plane perpendicular to said inwardly protruding lips.

7. A vapor releasing device according to claim 6 wherein onethermoplastic resin contains a pesticide as the vapor releasing materialand the second thermoplastic resin contains a reodorant as the vaporreleasing material.

8. The vapor releasing device of claim 7 wherein the thermoplastic resinis plasticized polyvinyl chloride.

1. A vapor releasing device comprising a flat upper portion having a downwardly protruding centrally located ridge running on the underside of said upper portion; said device having opposing downwardly extending walls from said upper portion in the same axis as said ridge, said walls containing inwardly protruding lips running longitudinally along said walls thereby forming a slot, said slot holding a flexible solid containing a vapor releasing material which flexible solid is engaged therein between said upper portion and the inwardly protruding lips.
 2. A vapor releasing device according to claim 1 wherein said device has a means for attaching said device to a supporting surface.
 3. A vapor releasing device according to claim 1 wherein the flexible solid is a thermoplastic resin.
 4. A vapor releasing device according to claim 3 wherein the vapor releasing material is a pesticide.
 5. A vapor releasing device according to claim 3 wherein the vapor releasing material is a reodorant.
 6. A vapor releasing device according to claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic resin is in two pieces, the dividing line between said pieces being in a plane perpendicular to said inwardly protruding lips.
 7. A vapor releasing device according to claim 6 wherein one thermoplastic resin contains a pesticide as the vapor releasing material and the second thermoplastic resin contains a reodorant as the vapor releasing material.
 8. The vapor releasing device of claim 7 wherein the thermoplastic resin is plasticized polyvinyl chloride. 